HLWW School District 2687 Board Minutes

Work Session

Monday, June 7, 2004

7:00 P.M.

HLWW High School Media Center

The School Board Work Session Meeting of the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted ISD #2687 was called to order at 7:05 p.m. on June 7, 2004. After the Pledge of Allegiance, roll was taken with members present: Al Doering, Charles Weber, John Lideen, Tom Hammer, Charlie Borrell, and Lori Custer. Dan Schaible arrived at 7:20 pm. Also present were Superintendent George Ladd, and Board Secretary Marilyn Greeley.

Chair Lideen opened the floor to consider approving the agenda of the June 7, 2004, School Board Work Session Meeting. Weber motioned to approve the agenda; Custer seconded; passed unanimously.

Lideen and Ladd reviewed communications.

(Item 1) Lideen reviewed discussion on the last community subcommittee meeting. Hammer requested to have SGN give the district an approximate cost of a K-12 building. Hammer asked if the buildings and grounds committee would meet with SGN between the meetings with the community. Borrell said no. Hammer also commented that he wants to find out from the public on land purchases. Borrell said it is our responsibility as a board to steer SGN in the direction of our long-term district goals.

(Item 2) The board discussed potential land options, time table and criteria for land purchases. Ladd reported that we no longer have ties to the land on highway 12. Hammer said the next community meetings will be June 22 at Winsted Elementary and July 13 at Humphrey Elementary in Waverly at 7 pm. Borrell said if we have a land purchase option that will positively impact the community. Weber suggested not tieing the land purchase to the operating levy. Lideen said having land picked out will help with the operating levy. Borrell said he would like to have the architect look at the land we are considering, if the architect o.k. it, then move forward. Hammer expressed concern over purchasing land and the controversy it could create about the operating levy. Custer agreed there would be controversy with anything we present. Lideen asked if we want to look at purchasing land in Winsted, because now is the time to get land. Lideen said the consensus of the board is to go to the two community meetings before we look at land purchases. Weber said we need to know by July board meeting. Lideen said this should be on the July agenda. Ladd clarified the boards request for SGN to look at the land and give their comments.

(Item 3) Doering reviewed budget projections. Hammer asked if administration was comfortable with four less paras. Ladd said yes at this time, however that could change. Hammer questioned the summary of board minutes. Ladd responded that we can do this providing that we have a complete version available on line or at the district office. Lideen asked is the board wanted to include this. Lideen questioned the summer reduction of office hours. Ladd responded that he wasn’t sure if the district would want to do this because of communication issues. Ladd expressed concerned about MARS and STARS information not being able to be completed by June 30. Ladd said the district could review this option as a contracted issue for next year, but not this year. Hammer questioned the money or status of money from FEMA for athletic purchases from loss due to the flood. Doering reviewed the changes that were discussed. Ladd said the district would still need to build up cash flow reserve, so we don’t have to use anticipated borrowing year after year.

(Item 4) Ladd said that the district should look at the $600 range for an operating levy.

Ladd suggested taking a list to the public to say the operating would be for. Ladd said we also need to balance the operating levy and the building bond, because we can only ask for so much. Doering commented that we have already shaved off $110,000, and we can’t shave any more. Lideen said we need to come to a consensus on the number. We did agree upon $350. Schaible said this is to maintain the status quo, but we still need to operate these buildings. Lideen said we are way past our time, and suggested tabling this and review it at the end of our meeting.

(Item 5) Lideen reviewed concerns with the portable contract. Lideen said we requested the guarantee to be the life of the contract. Ladd said we don’t have the paperwork, but it is in the works. Hammer asked if the penalty clause, of not delivering on time, was in the contract. Ladd said he wouldn’t pay for them until they were completely installed.

(Item 6) Lideen asked to discuss the moving day. Ladd said the board expressed concern to do the move on a weekend. Ladd said the only date available to move on the weekend would be July 24. The consensus of the board was to move classrooms on Saturday July 24, 2004 starting at 8 a.m. Ladd also said we could use volunteers to help move two classrooms from Waverly to Winsted next week. Lideen suggested to have Marilyn Greeley be the contact person for coordinating the volunteers for the July 24th move.

Lideen said that we have a few communications that were missed at the beginning of the meeting. Ladd reported that mediation services called today with the date of June 30 at 3 p.m. for mediation with the Para’s. Ladd commented that Weber would not be available, and that Borrell and Doering would be the representatives of the Board.

Weber reviewed the Paraprofessional negotiation meetings so far.

Discussion continued about the operating levy, Item 4. Doering and Borrell continued to explain the operation levy costs. Ladd said we are trying to maintain the status quo. Lideen said we need to discuss this in a different way. Lideen said we need to look at the numbers to decide what we need. Borrell said held like to see the bond take care of remodeling costs of bathrooms and locker rooms.

Ladd reported that there were several projects that need to be done. Weber said the district could also use more custodians. Hammer asked if the administration or buildings and grounds committee has prioritized items. Lideen said they had in the past, but would recommend that the custodians in the buildings also be able to give input. Ladd said SGN will be walking through the buildings to give us a cost estimate. Discussion continued with board members giving their suggestions on changes.

The board agreed to approve an operating levy amount no later than July 19 board meeting.

Ladd said in 2007 the present operating levy will be completed. Hammer suggested that the board communicate to the public that there will be some dollars coming off of the levy. Doering reminded the board that this is only an estimate. Ladd said he wanted to run other projections before the board made a decision.